Causes: Centers to Support the Independence of Specific Populations, Human Services

Mission: To provide trained Service Dogs or Hearing Dogs to people who are physically challenged, deaf or hard-of-hearing, including on-going support services and training. 

To provide quality trained assistance dogs and continued client support and training for the duration of the working team for people with mobility and hearing impairment. To provide emotional and physical benefits through the use of well trained therapy dogs and volunteers for patients residing in health care facilities. To educate, enlighten and enrich the lives of individuals in the use of quality trained dogs in disability awareness presentations and demonstrations in schools, churches, organizations and businesses within the community. To provide a junior volunteer program, enabling hands on experience with the training of dogs and working with physically challenged individuals while earning community service hours. To provide a reading literacy program that improves the reading skills of elementary school students by encouraging them to read one-on-one with a Fidos Therapy Dog in a relaxed learning environment.

Target demographics: increase the quality of life for people

Direct beneficiaries per year: 22 clients in training plus 35 active teams in 2013. 238 health care visits in 2012.

Geographic areas served: Washington-Baltimore metropolitan community

Programs: dogs for veterans, hearing dogs, service dogs and therapy dogs.